weekly news for sierra madre and neighboring...

Friday, November 10 - November 16, 2006 Volume 1, No.7WEEKLY NEWS FOR SIERRA MADRE AND NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES

Sierra Madre

PrincessesOrin is

1002

Savannah Woods-

5th Grade

3

4

This Edition

1

Bird’sEye

View

8 LadyBulldogs

7

Paul the Cyberian &

Viruses

6

AffordableHousing

Mandates

5

Editorial

Mt. Wilson Observer - A www.mtwilsonobserver.com

By Katina Dunn

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”

- Michelangelo

Mark Strickland wasn’t sleeping last night and he won’t sleep tonight. Art doesn’t happen on a schedule. At three in the morning, he is awake and painting. Or walking with his restless thoughts about town. Th ere is a tree he visits near the Monastery. Th ere are birds to hear and dark sky to watch.“I start with the phantom of something,” he says of his drawings and paintings. “I don’t even know what it is.”He tells his students at Art Center College of Design to allow tolerance for ambiguity, for the image to emerge. “So it comes from their dream world and is therefore more original,” he says.He paints in a state of ecstasy. Picture the man

at three in the morning, painting on a 25’ high canvas in his backyard in Sierra Madre, conversing with a skunk. Strickland never gets sprayed, ever. Th e creature keeps company with the artist. Inside, his younger sons and wife sleep. Th ey, too, have muses. Natalie makes books and studies graphic and digital arts. Tom has already made a video of his father, and he is just into his teens. Some of Strickland’s huge installations are hanging in Learning Works! At Daisy and Walnut streets in Pasadena – because of the huge hangar-like space and because its Director, Mikala Rahn, a neighbor, has an affi nity for placing young people in the spheres of the best minds - or works from the best minds - which is an essence of good education. Th e inspiration is mutual. Strickland created a special piece inspired by Rahn’s

work with children. In Learning Works! Strickland stares up at his “Humanity on Crisis,” a 15’ by 9 ‘ installation hanging near the ceiling. Th e painting is swirls of children and colors. “It’s the danger of these children in the hands of fate,” said Strickland looking up. “Children are thrown into this world, into this existence… Th ey have to discover their own essence. Th ey have to invent their own life even with the worst dregs of choices and atmosphere.”Strickland points to one child. ”Look at the beautiful hands. Th ey can create or destroy. Its almost the same hand position – shooting heroin or playing the violin.”Just as he can’t help learning, he can’t help teaching. “Only look at the color of black,” he says. “Th en only look at (continued on Page 3)

Bon Anniversaire Orin

Photo By Jacqueline TruongSierra Madrean Orin Stedman celebrate 100th birthday

with 135 of his closest friends. Story on Page 2

Of Cerebrum & Cherubim: Mark Strickland

By Katina Dunn

It was a good thing outsiders chose four princesses out of the nine. It would have been an impossible task for Sierra Madreans to choose from the group of highly poised young ladies. The Princess candidates were: Alexandra Flores, Kasey Johnson, Anna Lasorelli, Meredith Martens, Katey Merrill, Grace Osborne, Jessica Otte, Mary Spagnola and Caitlyn Van Luyk. Last year was a reign in the rain as the princesses were

the perilous drive up Colorado Boulevard on New Year’s Day. 2006 Princess Catherine Cahill read from her amusing account to the coronation crowd at

the Masonic Temple Sunday evening.The audience included the city’s stalwart Rose Float Volunteers, who take their charge very seriously in preparing the small city’s presentation before a televised audience of millions all over the world. “I felt like a homeless person,” read Cahill, who sought shelter in some vestibule at dawn before last year’s parade. “It hadn’t rained for 51 years,” she said. Still, the girls bravely repeated The Queen Wave to loyal crowds while dodging bullets of hail. After that parade, dry clothes, In ‘N Out burgers and hot hair dryers made them all feel “on top of the world.” Volunteers are still needed for

& wistaria fantasy made with 9,000 dendrobium orchids celebrating the city’s 100 years. Call Volunteer Coordinator Bonnie Colcher at (626) 355-7999. Also needed are:

1. A large water dispenser with hot & cold

water pump to hook up to it at The Barn at 587 E. Sierra Madre Blvd.

2. Meals for 50 hard

people between Tuesday, December 26 and Saturday, December 30.

3. Frequent Janitorial Service at the Barn for its thousands of guests and workers.

2007 Princesses Caitlyn Van Luyk, Katie Merrill, and Anna Lasorelli. Kasey Johnson was also chosen, but was in the Dakotas on a LaSalle High School project with the Blackfoot Indians

Photo By Jacqueline Truong

Photo By Jacqueline Truong

A Good Year To Be A Princess“Everybody’s A Winner In Sierra Madre” -Robert Young, President Sierra Madre Rose Float Association

By Dean Lee

With only a handful of people in the audience, and without any public input from residents, the city planning commission discussed the idea of raising the in-lieu parking fee from $2,000 to $25,000 or $30,000 during their regular meeting November 2 as part of an initial study of the Downtown Specifi c Plan. C o m m i s s i o n

members said the fee was necessary in preparation for anticipated growth in the Downtown area. Th ey also said it could be used to encourage certain types of growth. “I think we should set

the fee high enough to build the kind of parking that we want,”

said Commissioner John Hutt. “Th en we can look at those businesses that we want to encourage and subsidize those. Let’s say ‘X’ pays 50 percent. What we don’t want to do is lower the fee for everyone and get ‘whatever.’” Hutt added that the

city needs businesses that generate sales tax such as coff ee bars and snack shops, he said. Th e in-lieu fee, as

part of the Municipal Code, allows for an applicant not to have to provide the required number of parking spaces, and instead pay the city, excusing them from their obligation, according to City Manager John Gillison. He continued saying

that economically, the (continued Page 4)

City Planners Consider Future Parking Woes

Saturday, November 18

From 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Dickens Village opens at

Kersting Court

Activities include snow

sledding, choral singing,

and holiday cookie

decorating, courtesy of

Wildfl our Bakery

It’s That Time Of Year!

Citizens’ Datebook

Weather Wise

Cafe 322 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.

Sing-A-Long or Just Listen

Sundays with Opera Greats from 6:30 p.m.

Pianist Danny Guerrero with Domenico Zangeri, Norma Guerrero, Mario

Storace, Mark Almy, Diana Briscoe, Mario and Edalyn

Lalli and many more. Free admission

Lindy HopEvery Thursday

at 7:30 p.m.All Ages- Teens to 90s

200 S. Euclid free parking & free dance lessons from

7:30 to 8:15 p.m.$7 admission

www.lindygroove.com

Farmer’s MarketEvery Saturday

8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.PHS Parking Lot

2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena

Beantown45 N. Baldwin(626) 355-1596

Friday, Nov. 10thMichael Guest - Guitarist

8:00p.m.Saturday, Nov. 11th

Tom Sauber - Blue Grass8:00 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 12thPasadena City College

Guitar Ensemble8:00 pm

Vive Dining & Lounge

Every SundaySalsa Dancing

with Live Salsa Band! Free dance classes between

4 and 5 p.mDance until 10 p.m.

Ages 21 and up61 N. Raymond Avenue

Pasadena(626) 583-8483

Creative Arts Group

ANNUAL ART FESTIVALOpening Night

Music! More Art!Refreshments!

Friday, November 10

7-9 pmErica Oller will autograph

humorous prints & calendars

Saturday, November 1110:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sunday, November 1211:00 am - 5:00 pm

108 N. Baldwin Avenue626-355-8350

MISSION WEST FALL STREET

FESTIVALSaturday and Sunday

November 18 & 19

10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Gold Line Mission Station

So. Pasadena

CROWN CITY CHAMBER PLAYERS

An intergenerational orchestra whose motto is,

“Ability not age.”60 Member Orchestra

Sponsored by Pasadena and Altadena Senior

Centerswww.

crowncitychamberplayers.org

or call 626-797-1994TWO FREE CONCERTS

Saturday, Nov. 11th2:30 pm

Altadena Senior Center560 E. Mariposa Ave.

AltadenaSunday, Nov. 12th

2:30 pmFirst Baptist Church

75 N. Marengo at HollyPasadena

Longitude W118.0, Lattitude N34.2

.

THE MT. WILSON OBSERVER | November 10 - November 16, 20062

Friday: Saturday:

Sunday: Monday:

Tuesday:

Forecasts courtesy of the National Weather Service

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

5-Day Forecast for Sierra Madre, Ca.

The Teen Book Club - For readers in grades 7 and up

Starts Thursday, October 5 and runs twelve weeks through Thursday, January 11, 2007. The program is

free (including books) and open to all students, from public and private schools and home schooling. The group will meet Thursday afternoons from 4 to 5 in the Library basement.

www.mtwilsonobserver.com

TRAVELERS & COLLECTORSFriday, November 17 7:30 p.m.

Slide/narrative series“Tribal People of Papua, New Guinea”

By Kathy & Gary SymonsSM CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS

ADMISSION: FREEContact: Catriona Shafer (626) 355-7186

Sponsored by y Friends of the Sierra Madre Library

Seniors Reserve Your Spot Today! Thursday, November 16 A Deluxe Excursion

Tour Rogers Gardens in Corona del Mar, known for holiday inspiration and decorations. Rogers offers exclusive artifacts in an elaborate world of nutcrackers, peppermints, pine boughs, angels and stars. The gardens feature unusual plants such as purple elephant ears, the Don Gillogly Avocado tree and spiral aloe from the mountains in Lesotho, Africa. After the Gardens, lunch at the landmark Five Crowns, built in 1953 to replicate Ye Olde Bell at Hurley-on-the-Thames in England. The restaurant, also has an English garden. Call Senior Commissioner Theresa Daley for information at (626)-355-7427.

PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT. DISPOSE OF BATTERIES PROPERLY!At City Hall, Police Department, Library

Alkaline/Zinc/Carbon NiCad – rechargeable Mercury (hearing aids and watches) Silver Oxide Lithium Ion (computers) Nickel Metal Hydride (cell phones)

For more information, call (626) 355-7135 X803

Monday, November 13 Sierra Madre Fire Safe Council 7:00 pm City Council Chambers This will be a joint meeting of the Sierra Madre and Big Santa Anita Fire Safe Councils on the topic of“Mutual Fire Safety Concerns” including participants from the Angeles National Forest and other neighboring Fire Safe Councils.

For more information: [email protected]

Mike Kinney 355-1182 or Caroline Brown 355-9350

Tuesday, November 14

6:30 p.m.

City Council Meeting

Wednesday, November 157 p.m.Tree Advisory Commission

Thursday, November 167 p.m.Planning Commission

Monday, November 206 p.m.Community Services Commission

BARGAIN BOOKS TABLE

EARLY HOLIDAY SHOPPING

The Friends of the Sierra Madre Library will have a

“Bargain Books Table” inside the Library from Monday,

November 6 through Saturday, November 11. Biographies,

fiction, and mysteries in good condition will be sold for $1

each during the Library’s public open hours.

Photo by Jacqueline Truong

Bon Anniversaire, OrisOris Stedman celebrated 100 years with

137 of his dearest friends Saturday. The jungle-like atrium filled with

tropical plants at Embassy Suites in Arcadia – on the way to the birthday party banquet room – is years and miles away from the Oklahoma Dust Bowl Stedman fled in 1927. That migration west, made famous

in John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath, was made in a Model T Ford by Stedman and his mom.His love of roads never ended. Nor

have his passions for stamps, golf, deep sea fishing, gardening, billiards and rock hunting. All of these pursuits contributed to a long and satisfying life. They are the only pursuits of Stedman’s which could be mentioned in a family newspaper. So he says. Last Saturday, the barber shop and

Beantown were emptier because all of Stedman’s friends were at the party. The gents play cards together in the

afternoons – though only the games that can be mentioned in a family newspaper. So they say. “My father moved here in 1997,” said

his son, Dwight, who lives in the great hiking area of Geneva, Switzerland, with his wife, Edith. “It was one of the best decisions he ever made,” said Dwight.“The Beantown environment, they

take good care of him. And my cousin

– Judy Miller lives 10 minutes away. “Dwight’s son Marc also came from

New York City with his famed concert pianist wife, Angela Jia Kim. Her latest CD is titled Mozart: Scenes from Childhood. Stedman’s granddaughter Chantal

also came in from Switzerland; great niece Mary Carol Cabibi from San Francisco; and great great niece and nephew Andrea and Ethan Earles from Oklahoma. Bob Jackson came with his gift – a cap

embroidered with Vintage 1906.Bud Switzer, John Grijalva, Fred and

Neola Zimmerman, Wayne and Joyce Tatti, Liz and Bob Stiles, Steve and Marge Garrett, Bob Vinci, Margaret Vinci, Colleen Taylor, Jim Taylor, Dixie Miller, Patti Huber, Sam and Karen Wines, and the Preciado Family were among the guests. Nancy Miller promised this would be

the first of many parties for Oris.A fascinating paper was distributed

throughout, listing what life was like in the USA in 1906. Here are some excerpts suitable for a

family newspaper: The average life expectancy was 47. Just 14% of homes had a bathtub There were 8,000 cars in the US and

144 miles of paved roads The average wage was 22 cents per hour Drive-by shootings from teenaged

boys on horseback were a problem in western cities

Just 6 % of adults graduated high school

What EIR?

There are no Environmental Impact Reports released so far on any projects planned for the downtown area. Are builders hoping that if they throw in a few “lower income” units, they’ll be exempt from having to provide any? The plans for the skilled nursing facility

“Wisteria Village” have been loosed upon us. Out of 55 condo units, 8 are in the 900-plus square foot range – which could indicate lower income housing. No EIR on that one, either. It’s three stories – and you could get lost in it. Any word yet on who might belong

to the Sierra Madre Land Company of “Wisteria Village?” Probably a “neg dec” will be sought

on this, too. Based upon our Initial Study, “Wisteria Village” so far has not adversely affected Mr. Fish or wildlife resources or habitat upon which Mr. Fish or wildlife depend as defined by Section

711.2 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations.

Hello Gridlock

City Manager John Gillison told us a long time ago that it just wasn’t possible to add up all the environmental impacts of new buildings throughout Sierra Madre. It is just way too hard. Try this, though.

Let’s count cars:From Stonehouse with 35 homes, let’s

say 70 cars; One Carter with 29 homes, let’s say 59; Wisteria Village of 55 units says 150 parking spaces – 110 residential and 40 office; Congregational Church coffee shop 50; Senior Housing let’s say 46… this does NOT include the Howie’s market site with a proposed 80 units, east Montecito or other projects… so far, that’s 375-plus more cars in daily traffic through our town of 3 by 3 square miles.

CELEBRATIONS

30th ANNUAL INTERFAITH COMMUNITY PRAYER BREAKFASTWednesday, November 15, 2006 8:00 am

Essex House - 550 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra MadreAdmission Free - Reservations RequiredContact: Phyllis Pugh at 626-301-4242

Sponsored by the Sierra Madre Women’s Club

Sierra Madre Author Karen Maezen Miller tells “Zen Stories from the Neighborhood” At Vroman’s Bookstore and signs her new book Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood. Miller, who is a Zen Buddhist priest, is married to JPL techie Ed Miller and they have a seven year-old daughter. Momma Zen is a delightful book for all parents and grandparents, about the journey of becoming a parent and how it can lead one on a spiritual path. . “We might think of wisdom as something you have to go

somewhere else to get, and Zen as something exotic or remote,” writes Miller. “The stories we’ll read teach otherwise. For parents and children alike, Zen wisdom is found everyday right where we live.” Saturday, November 11 at 2 p.m.

Zen Stories From the NeighborhoodVroman’s Bookstore 695 E. Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena

For more info call (626) 449-5320 or visit www.mommazen.com

CIVIC CLUB SHOPPEA DICKENS SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTA special feature on Saturday, November

18th will be the Sierra Madre Civic Club’s Christmas Shoppe. Club members have

provided a quantity beautiful and unusual handmade items for sale. Wonderful

choices for holiday gifts. Proceeds will benefit Civic Club philantrophies.

Contact Phyllis Chapman 626-355-3928

THE MT. WILSON OBSERVER | November 10 - November 16,2006 3


Strickland (continued from Page 1)

the red patterns. Th en, only at the circles…only at the pattern of heads. Only look at the pattern of hands… see the anaconda holding the egg? Th e danger of these children in the hands of fate.” Work with artist Mark Strickland in southern France. Twice a year, he leads weekly painting, drawing & photography seminars. To view aspects of the seminar in France and more works by Strickland, visit www.paintinfrance.net. For more information, contact 626-251-3074

Th e internet, home to impartiality and reliability, is a wonderful place to learn more about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the debate to open it to oil drilling. Maybe start at the offi cial website: anwr.org.

Here you will fi nd arguments as subtle and nuanced as Jerry Lewis on pledge day. In a section called “Making the Case for ANWR Development,” you will learn that 58% of the petroleum needs of the US were imported from outside of the country in 2004. Th ese imports cost $150 billion and “robbed” tens of thousands of high paying jobs from American workers (exactly how the United States should go about reclaiming those jobs from oil fi elds in the Middle East and South America is not specifi ed – for the record, invasions are not explicitly advocated).

You may be interested to fi nd out that in 2004, according to this article, oil tankers delivered up to 1.2 million barrels to the United States per day from Iraq alone, while domestic wells were busily cranking out 15 barrels per day. Th is is a typo. Or a crazy bald-faced lie. Or maybe a huge, gigantic, paradigm shift ing, world changing error that I just discovered by making two google searches (Domestic oil production is, in reality, about 7.6 million barrels per day). Quick, call someone! Senator, we are producing 7,599,985 more barrels of oil each day than we previously thought.

Th e anwr.org website also features the highlights of a national economic impacts study of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling. According to this study, conducted by Wharton Econometrics (a division of Global Insight – “the global leader in economic and fi nancial analysis forecasting and market intelligence for 40 years”), drilling on the Refuge coastal plain will create between 250,000 and 735,000 jobs.

Th ere is a handy feature that allows you to fi nd out exactly what the economic impacts would be for your state. For example, if you live in North Dakota, (hey, I don’t know, maybe you are visiting) you will be

excited to learn that drilling on the coastal plain could result in 1,800 new jobs in your state. In North Dakota that’s like one new job per person.

In California we could end up with 80,000 new jobs in refi ning, tools, equipment, supplies, geophysicaland engineering services, computer equipment, soft ware and servicing. I guess that’s impressive. But in the month of August, California added 36,900 jobs without having to begin oil drilling in a wildlife refuge, so then again maybe it’s not… hard to say.

Th is website, really, you should surf there, (does anyone even “surf the net” anymore?) also has a slide show with pictures and statistics that you could use to make a bang-up presentation at a Kiwanis Club meeting. One slide has an American Flag background and lists a bunch of the organizations that support drilling in the Refuge. Th is is a helpful list. If, for example, you feel comfortable being affi liated with the National Paint and Coatings Association, the Montana Independent Automobile Dealers Association, the Center for Individual Freedom, or the American Highway Users Alliance, then you too are probably an advocate of arctic oil

drilling. You are also likely to be irritated by my columns. Sorry. Another slide informs us that between 1977 and 2004, North Slope oil

fi eld development and production contributed $50 billion to the US economy. Th ere is no slide that informs us that we just spent 27 years worth of North Slope oil revenue in Iraq this year, and last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, too.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand, and have largely come to terms with, the fact that the United States economy requires oil to grow corn and get kids to soccer practice. And I would be lying if I said that I had not been bludgeoned into submission by the widely held and oft en stated belief that the United States needs to free itself from dependence on foreign oil, that our national security is compromised when we are forced to import oil from unstable countries whose citizens hate us.

But here is why I am confused. If we drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and spend the time and money to develop oil fi elds while trying not to disturb the caribou, eventually (in about 20 years) we have the potential to be extracting a maximum of 1.3 million barrels of oil per day, when operating at peak capacity (all of this according to information at anwr.org)…. Are you ready? Right now, today, at this very moment the United States is exporting about a million barrels of oil every day. (Exact numbers? According to the United States Central Intelligence Agency World Fact Book, the United States exported 1.048 million barrels per day in 2004).

Wait, did I just write that the United States is exporting a million barrels of oil per day? Why yes I did write that the United States is, in fact, currently exporting a million barrels of oil each day. Th at’s why I’m confused.

Oil Independence Don Benito’s TrailTh e trail from Sierra Madre to the

summit of Mt. Wilson is a strenuous,

though rewarding, 7 ½-mile hike.

Perhaps it seemed less strenuous to the

Tongva/Gabrielino Native Americans,

who had beaten a path here long before

Spanish or American settlers arrived.

In his book Th e Mount Wilson Story,

historian John W. Robinson tells how

one of these settlers, Benjamin D.

Wilson, looked up at the mountain in

1864 and decided to build a trail to its

summit. It would be the ideal place, he

thought, to get lumber for his fences

and wine barrels.

Wilson, born in 1811 in Tennessee,

was a fur trapper by trade when he

arrived in California in 1841 with the

Workman–Rowland party, one of the

fi rst groups of American settlers to make

the cross-country trek. Aft er marrying

Ramona Yorba from a prominent

Mexican family, he began to acquire

property and by the 1860s had become

the prosperous and much-respected

owner of “Lake Vineyeard,” a ranch that

was based at the site of present-day San

Marino and included the land that later

became the city of Pasadena.

“Don Benito,” as he was aff ectionately

called by his many Spanish-speaking

friends, set out to revamp the old Indian

path up Little Santa Anita Canyon in

the spring of 1864 and by April had

reached the site of present-day Orchard

Camp, 4.3 miles up the trail. Aft er

constructing his “Halfway House” (a

3-room cabin, stable, blacksmith shop,

and chicken coop) there, he pushed on

to the summit of what soon became

known as “Wilson’s Peak.” On the fl at

top of the mountain he discovered the

crumbling remains of two log cabins,

evidence that someone had preceded

him. But who the original settlers were

has never been known.

Aft er bringing down a few loads of

pine and cedar logs later that summer,

Wilson abandoned the venture. Th e trail,

however, remained as his monument,

and for several decades—long before

astronomy arrived there—Mt. Wilson

(as Wilson’s Peak eventually came to

be called) was a favorite destination for

energetic hikers and horsemen.

In recent years, the City of Sierra

Madre has kept the memory of Don

Benito’s trail alive with its annual Mt.

Wilson Trail Race. Traditionally held

on the Saturday morning of Memorial

Day weekend, the 8.6-mile race follows

a dirt path no more that 3 feet wide for

an elevation gain of 2,100 feet to the

turnaround point at Orchard Camp. It

begins at Sierra Madre Boulevard and

Baldwin Avenues (Kersting Court)

at 7:30 A.M. sharp, and ends at 10:30

A.M. Th e race was fi rst held in 1908,

when runners raced to Mt. Wilson’s

summit, rested briefl y, and then raced

back down. It was held sporadically

until the 1950s, then revived in 1965

and has grown over the years to its

present form.

Looking Up

By Susan Henderson(Th is is an update of a previously

published article by the author)

Cities throughout the San Gabriel Valley are currently facing challenges to development eff orts from residents. Sierra Madre, Temple City, Pasadena, Alhambra, Arcadia, and Monrovia all have such a dispute. Much of the debate centers on the authority of lawmakers and commissioners to alter the town’s character without public approval. Fears of overdevelopment, traffi c congestion, increased crime, and strains on the existing infrastructure are articulated over and over again. Justifi cation for many of these contested projects is oft en laid on the shoulders of legislation enacted to ease the state’s housing shortage and assist low and moderate income families. Unfortunately, that same legislation has been used as a tool to attract developers and the end result has provided very little benefi t to those it was designed to help. Whether referring to them as California’s Aff ordable Housing Mandates, Inclusionary Zoning Laws or the state’s Density Bonus Laws, they all have been the impetus for a variety of local ballot measures, recalls and lawsuits - mostly because of misuse. O r i g i n a l l y designed as a tool for urban planning and growth, these laws have become ‘politically deceptive and ineff ective’. Concerns ranging from increased

costs to the creation of slight of hand changes of existing zoning laws have resulted when these regulations were used outside major urban areas.Mandate? Amendments to local General Plans that required a ‘housing element’ and related zoning modifi cations, was mandated by Sacramento. Flexibility, however, has been allowed for communities that do not have signifi cant development requirements. Th e California Government Code states, “An adequate housing aff ordability analysis for the housing element must take into consideration the characteristics of existing and potential housing stock in the community, including an inventory of land suitable for residential development, local sites and sites for housing redevelopment.” Un f o r t u n a t e l y, many smaller cities have used these laws to dole out ‘incentives’ to attract developers rather than assessing the real needs of the town.

Incentives: Under existing law, incentives allow local government to: Exceed density restrictions; Reduce site development standards; and Modify Zoning Code Requirements (including a reduction in setbacks, square footage requirements, or parking spaces; or architectural

design requirements whichexceed the minimum building standards).

Cities are also allowed to approve mixed use zoning in conjunction with the housing if commercial, offi ce, industrial, or other land uses will reduce the cost of the development. Other regulatory incentives or concessions proposed by the developer or the city or county result in identifi able cost reductions. For many, it is the incentives that create the most concern, not the mandates. Incentives are oft en granted to developers and do nothing to benefi t the city.Bottom Line According to Dr. Benjamin Powell, who participated in an extensive study of housing mandates and their eff ectiveness in Los Angeles and Orange County, “For the 13 cities, the Southern California Association of Governments projects the current 7.5 year aff ordable housing need for very low, low, and moderate income households to be 12,460. But in the 27 years that inclusionary zoning has been implemented in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, inclusionary zoning has resulted in the production of only 6,379 aff ordable units. Of those, 4,469 were in Irvine, which built a number of the units to settle a lawsuit for not providing “aff ordable” housing. Th at averages to only 236 units per year, (continued on Page 6)

“CALIFORNIA’S AFFORDABLE HOUSING MANDATES: AN EXCUSE FOR ABUSE?”


Artist Strickland with work in progress

Photo Courtesy of ANWR

Photo Courtesy of ANWR

By Kyle McClure

Alverno High School200 N. Michillinda(626) 355-3463

Sunday, November 19 From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Open House Catholic, College Prep, All-Girls Discover Our Community of Strong Faith, Leadership, Academics, Arts and Sports No Reservations Necessary

(626) 355-3463 X235

Th e Gooden School192 N. Baldwin(626) 355-2410www.goodenschool.org

LaSalle High School3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd.Pasadena(626) 351-8951

Pasadena High School2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd.Pasadena(626) 798-8901

Friday November 17th is the deadline for original stories, poems and art for consideration in the PHS literary magazine Submit your work to Dr. Verdi in G206

Sierra Madre Elementary School141 W. Highland Ave.(626) 355-1428

Friday, November 10

Scholastic Book Sale in the Library

7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Th ursday, November 16

Spotlight Assembly Grades 3,4 & 5

8:30 am

Friday, November 17

Spotlight Assembly Grades K,1 & 2

8:30 am

Sierra Madre Middle School160 N. Canon(626) 836-2947

St. Rita’s Catholic School322 N. Baldwin(626) 355-9028

Th e Barnhart School240 W. Colorado in Arcadia(626) 446-5588

Odyssey Charter School 725 West Altadena Drive Altadena CA 91001 626 –229-0993 www.odysseycharterschool.org

For information on upcoming Open House dates. Odyssey Charter School is a K-8 public charter school serving a diverse population of students without district boundaries.

Th ursday, November 165 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Pasadena Unifi ed School District Open House FairGO PUBLIC! Meet principals, teachers and

administrators from one of the most improved school districts in California. Explore academics, arts and

sports. Sierra Madre Elementary and Pasadena High School representatives will be there.

Eliot Middle School2184 N. Lake Ave.

(626) 568-4553

Alverno, LaSalle, Pasadena High School, St. Francis, Sierra Mesa Middle School,Th e Barnhart School, Th e Gooden School, SIERRA MADRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Bethany Christian, St. Rita’s, Wilson Middle School, Odyssey Charter School, Norma Coombs Alternative School, and the Pasadena Unifi ed School District Ed

SCHOOL CALENDAR

4


THE MT. WILSON OBSERVER | November 10 - November 16, 2006

Mansions & MusicTwo Quintets & a

TangoSunday,

November 12, 4:00 pm

Private Residence in San Marino

Presenting music that explores the expressive capabilities of woodwinds and piano. Mozart and Beethoven each composed a single work for this particular instrumentation. To further showcase these beautiful sonorities, the program closes with an alluring tango by Argentinean Astor Piazzolla. Th e setting is an Italian Revival home built in 1924 and renovated by Pasadena designer Matthew White. Th e classical boxwood gardens and gracious rooms of the home provide the perfect setting for the opening concert of the 2006-07 season. A reception follows the concert.

Tickets: $60 per person

Faculty Recital:Chamber Music at the

ConservatoryFriday, November 17, 7:30 pm~ Room 200

Faculty members of the Conservatory will perform a chamber music program that features works from romantic composers

such as Schumann and

Bruch.

ADMISSION IS FREE

PARKING (continued from Page 1) fees only made sense to someone

building a new structure. “In this study you can see that with

the hypothetical builder doing a project, the fee far outweighs and is superior to what they are paying to you,” Gillison said. “On the other hand, someone during an adaptive re-use for that may decide that’s not feasible to them saying, ‘man I can’t aff ord a half million for that.’” Gillison then said that a person

may look at shared parking with another buyer or acquire more properties with parking. Gillison explained that the fee

increase could be used for the construction of a new public parking area somewhere in the city but, “did not have to.”

He suggested putting a new two-level parking garage at the current Mariposa Avenue parking lot. He also said the fee increase would equal that of other cities such as, Mountain View, Walnut Creek and Beverly Hills. City Council Member Don Watts

said that unlike Gillison’s view of fi guring out alternative strategies, the applicants would simply not fi le and the fee increase would inadvertently stop all development in the city. “I’m not sure they realize that,”

Watts said. “Someone wanting to put in a restaurant is not going to pay $300,000 before they even open their doors. Once they fi gure out that each table will cost in excess of $30,000 they will simply go somewhere else.”

Gillison also said any new parkingstructure could be built slowly as fees became available or if passed the city could use redevelopment funds form the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency and pay them back later. He said what was most important now was increasing the fee. “Th ere will be a threshold when

enough funds will be collected to build a structure,” Gillison said. “So what we would obviously do is look for more surface parking or more areas to buy to build new structures so we’re moving forward.Gillison said the issue will

go before the city council sometime in December.

Sierra Madre School’s Visual and Performing Arts Program has focused student’s attention on art history. All students pre-K througheighth grade learn about world history as theypresenttheatrical productions representative of cultures from Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Modern eras.Th ese performances called “Spotlights”

are the best show in town. Watch this paper for the dates. Visual art classes teach the same Art

History theme as you can see in this Renaissance landscape created by Savanna Woods, a fi ft h grade student at Sierra Madre School. Her story shows that she, like eight

hundred other students, is learning the life long skill of expressing herself using visual art as well as written work. Many students like Savanna furthered

their study of landscape with a visit to the Huntington Gardens andGallery to sketch on those inspirational grounds and view the landscape masterpieces of Fredric Church. To encourage Sierra Madre students to

take their families to the Huntington, a free pass has been provided in the school library. In this way students can teach their

families what they know about Art History as they guide their family and friends around this localtreasure and apply what they have learned about ArtHistory at Sierra Madre School.

Sierra Madre School’s Visual Arts Program

Art and Story By Savannah Woods5th grader at Sierra Madre School

Burt, as seen in the middle ground, had a favorite hang-out spot which he went to every day and made himself a path. He loved hanging out in his blue ottoman. Burt was having a horrible day. First, his

was informed that the volcano next to his house was going to explode. He watched rocks tumble into the foreground spilling with lava. He also saw ash covering the sky and in the background. Burt decided to stand outside in the middle of harm’s way. Did he die or live?

Old Fashion Days Parade -Recognize Anyone?

5THE MT. WILSON OBSERVER | November 10 - November 16, 2006


TechKnowledgeTechnology Science Business

By Paul the Cyberian

A Computer Virus is a self-replicating computer program that changes the way a computer operates without the knowledge or permission of the computer owner.Th e term ‘Virus’ became

a popular way to describe these programs due to the way that these programs behave similarly to biological viruses. Like their biological kin they need a healthy host to infect in order to self-replicate and survive and they also need a vector by which to infect the host. One of the earliest

computer viruses to aff ect home users was written in 1982 and infected Apple II users (the Elk Cloner virus). It infected these computers by means of shared media (in this case copies of fl oppy disks used to install a computer game). Th is program aff ected the computer in all the ways described above and on the 50th

time the game was run it made its presence known to the computer user.Since then the computer

virus family has spawned an entire race of computer-borne programs that alter the way a computer performs. Th ere are also other varieties of programs that actively steal information from your machine and send the details to unknown destinations for less-than-honorable purposes. Writers of these

programs have all sorts of motivations for creating these programs. Early writers may have wanted public demonstrations of their skills in order to impress or outdo their peers. With the explosive spread of

malware designed to surreptitiously steal and send sensitive information from one computer to another, the motive these days seems to be leaning more towards fi nancial gain.In short, these are bad

programs with bad intentions and you really don’t want anything to do with them.Th e most eff ective

way of protecting your computing activities from this scourge is to maintain up-to-date virus protection for you computer. Most (all) new computers sold come with some sort of AV package installed. Some of more popular

packages include Symantec (Norton) Antivirus and McAfee AntiVirus. Th ese soft ware packages are programs that are designed to monitor activity on your computer and stop those that appear to be the result of virus or malware activity. Th ey also come with a feature that allows you to update the Virus Defi nition fi les on your computer. Th ese fi les contain

signatures for the latest exploits found ‘in the wild’ and allow your computer to block these threats. Signature fi les are updated frequently to counter any threats. If your machine has AV protection currently installed check the virus def. fi les to make sure that you have the latest version for maximum protection. Th e date should typically be no older than 7 – 10 days from today’s date. Like a real virus, don’t

wait until the symptoms are life threatening – immunize your machine with anti virus soft ware.

Classic 1961 T-Bird For Sale1961 hard top/great shape/motor and trans rebuilt/heavy cruising car/really cool/could be amazing

A steal at $6,000 call Ernie @ Executive Auto Detail (626) 836-8625

CLASSIFIEDS

ASK MADELINEA question and answer column on résumé preparation,

cover letters, interview skills, and everything having to do with the job search procedure. Please direct your concerns to Madeline at [email protected] or 888-489-8372 (8 AM – 6 PM, M – F).

COMPUTER FIRST AID:ANTI VIRUS SOFTWARE

Q: I am president of the Gay and Lesbian Coalition in my town. Although I never hide my sexual orientation, I am hesitant to put this on my résumé for fear it might negatively infl uence a recruiter. What would you advise?A: Put it on your résumé. Being president of almost anything is a big deal. It shows all those wonderful skills recruiters look for: leadership, planning, organization, and teamwork. It also demonstrates that you stepped up to the plate in assuming this position.

Ten or more years again I might have advised you to leave this off . However, hopefully, today people are more enlightened and understanding about diff erences in lifestyles.

My feeling is that if you are not hired and you suspect it is because of your sexual orientation, you wouldn’t want to work for that company anyway.

Q: I am 22 years old and just had an interview. Th e recruiter was a man of about 50. He introduced himself as Jack Smith. At the end of the interview, I addressed him as Mr. Smith. I was brought up to call older people Mr. or Mrs. and feel uncomfortable about using fi rst names. Was it okay to use Mr. Smith?A: Don’t stress over this. What you called the interviewer has no bearing on whether or not you are hired. However, if the recruiter introduced himself as Jack Smith, that implies that he prefers to be called Jack. In the majority of work situations, fi rst names are used. Age and even supervisory rank generally do not matter. You need to get over your inhibitions.

Mike Simmons, Vice President of the Mount Wilson Observatory Association (MWOA), will speak from his recent travels.

Simmons has just returned from a visit to the Iraqi National Observatory in northern Iraq, where he traveled to research articles for national U.S. publications. He will give us an inside look at what that observatory was meant to be, its’ status today, and its possible future. He will also talk about the isolation of his hosts (members of the Amateur Astronomers Association of Kurdistan), their inability to acquire observing equipment, and the 150 pounds of donated, new observing equipment he brought to them.

Th e Iraqi National Observatory was a world-class facility as it neared completion in the early 1980s. As the Iran-Iraq War began, however, the observatory’s site on a strategic location near Iran’s border brought it under attack by Iranian missiles. Th e observatory was again attacked by U.S. aircraft during the fi rst Persian Gulf War. Since then, little has been known in the West about this observatory and its fate.

Mike Simmons has been involved in amateur astronomy in Southern California for more than 30 years. He worked at Griffi th Observatory in the 1970s, operating the

12-inch Zeiss telescope for the public. He is a past president of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society and was the fi rst president of the Mount Wilson Observatory Association, an organization he helped to found in the early 1980s. Simmons is also a leader of eclipse expeditions, and he organized and led his own tour to Iran for the 2004 Transit of Venus. He has met amateur astronomers in several countries during his travels and has written about those experiences for Sky and Telescope and Astronomy magazines. His career focus has most recently been shift ing to promoting improved international relations through a common interest in astronomy.MWOA is a public-

membership support group for the Mount Wilson Observatory, a major astronomical research facility located in the San Gabriel Mountains. MWOA’s goals include improving the public’s awareness of this observatory’s rich history and of its ongoing scientifi c and educational programs. Members are invited to become trained tour guides at the observatory.Sunday, November 26,

at 2:30 P.M.Altadena Library at 600 E. Mariposa St. in Altadena

Free admission, public is welcome

The Iraqi National ObservatorySky Watching in a War-Torn Land

To join, include your name, address, telephone and email address. Make your check payable and mail to: Mount Wilson Observatory Association (MWOA)

P.O. Box 70076, Pasadena, CA 91117 Have Something To Sell? Want to Place An Ad? Call Today 626-355-2737

EditorKatina Dunn

Managing EditorSusan Henderson

Art DirectorMarco Carreno

City EditorDean Lee

PhotographyFelix Orona

Buddy WindsorJacqueline Truong

Steve Padilla

ContributorsStefan Bund

Stanley J. ForresterPaul the CyberianMadeline Miller

Kyle McClurePat BirdsallBob Eklund

Editorial CartoonistAnn CleavesWeb MasterGary Miller

Th e Mt. Wilson Observer is a publication of Deuxamis Publishing, Inc. established in 2006. Th is paper is published weekly with offi ces in Sierra

Madre, California. All letters to the editor and corresponence should be

sent to: Mt. Wilson Observer

280 W. Sierra Madre Bl. #327Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

Phone: 626-355-2737Fax: 626-604-4548

email: [email protected]

OPINION

November 10 - November 16, 20066

Mt. Wilson Observer Mission StatementWe honor the traditions of the community newspaper and place our readers above all other concerns.

We deliver local, state and national news every week. We support a prosperous community of well-informed citizens. We hold in high regard the values of the exceptional quality of life in our community, including the magnifi cence of our natural resources.

Integrity will be our guide.


By Susan Henderson

Take Part in a Virtual Recall!

Since writing my column last week, I have had surprising responses. My neighbors, and people I have never met before, have stopped me to tell me how much they agreed with my column. I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised. Th e eff ect of talking about recalling an elected offi cial on the Op-Ed section of the newspaper released a lot of frustrations. It acknowledged how many people were thinking the same things, and feeling quite powerless about it. Events have bubbled up to the surface, and I think if we don’t confront what is bothering us, we are going to feel like moving away, which is not the answer. Where else does there exist another Sierra Madre? Th is must be an eff ect of newspapers. Discussing something the writer desires helps to bring the issue down to earth. People on my block were considering recalling him for months, but having the opportunity to write about it had a strange eff ect. Instead of seeing a recall as a fantasy, they now see it as something as easy as signing a petition. Just move your hand a little bit, and the problem gets closer to solution. So this week I am going to keep the momentum. I want you to send me an email with either the word YES or NO on it. Type YES if you’re ready to recall Mr. Mosca. Type NO if you’re not. We’ll do a little digital democracy, and see how we do.

Here are some further rules, so as not to discredit the experiment.

1. If you don’t use email, no problem. Call my cell phone at 626.755.9030, and leave a message if I don’t pick up.

2. If you don’t use email, get someone to get you a free account on Yahoo or another free email service, like hotmail

3. Send one email only, with just one vote, YES or NO, on whether you wish for Mr. Mosca to be recalled.

4. No attachments with racy images, please. I am married and wish to remain on good terms with my wife.

I will tally the results and see if the recall would succeed, and let you know how your side did, next week.

So... send those YES or NO votes to...

A well known lawyer friend of mine once told a jury, “You can tell a lie over and over again but that doesn’t make it the truth.” No truer words have ever been spoken, especially in this otherwise peaceful town of Sierra Madre. I don’t really like calling people who are allergic to the truth liars, but it is very diffi cult for me to sit by and watch others be misled, day aft er day. If you are reading

this paper, you must certainly be aware of the signature gathering for an initiative commonly called 2-30-13. You are probably also aware of the bitter fi ght against the initiative, which in these days of dirty politics is not unusual. However, as the lies escalate and the truth gets buried deeper and deeper, I just cannot write another column without expressing my opinion and sharing some facts.First of all, I think that

a city wide vote on all development projects in Downtown Sierra Madre that exceeds the existing density and height restrictions is one way to protect ourselves from irresponsible development. I have read the proposed

2-30-13 initiative several times because every time I hear another lie I reread it to see if I missed something. Every time I read it the language remains the same. It is an initiative that will only require a public vote on any downtown development project that exceeds the existing General Plan. What is wrong with that? Now, opponents will say that such a measure will bankrupt the city. Not true. Th e initiative calls for

a citywide vote in the general elections of even numbered years. Th erefore the expense would be minimal. If we can’t aff ord to add something to a general election ballot, then we are already bankrupt. Opponents will tell

you it calls for Special Elections. Not true. General Elections are not special elections. Opponents will tell you

that you are usurping the power you gave to the city council when you elected them. No it isn’t. We gave them the power to govern, not to rule. Opponents will portray

the Initiative as anti-public safety, i.e., Fire and Police. Not true.Our fi refi ghters and

police offi cers should not be used as pawns in this battle. Whatever revenue is generated in the CRA district, in which the Sierra Madre Downtown is a part of, the funds can only be used for other redevelopment purposes. Th at would give very little to fi re and police, and it would free up very little from the general fund to

pay for fi re and police. Opponents will say that

the initiative is against the Downtown Specifi c Plan. Not true. Th e initiative says that

WHATEVER you do in the downtown area that exceeds the current height and density limits you must have the voters approve it. If the residents of Sierra Madre want to build another Eiff el Tower and it wins the vote, then so be it. However, let these development projects have the approval of the voters. Opponents will tell you

that the initiative will drive away development. Not true. Th e truth is, the only way

adhering to our current height and density restrictions would drive away development is if there have already been commitments made. If they have, then

somebody ought to speak up.Opponents will tell

you that it will be down zoning and aff ect your property values. Th e initiative simply

calls for a vote. If the DSP calls for down zoning and the citizens approve it, then we all will have had a say in that action.Opponents will tell

you that Sierra Madre will not be able to meet the mandated housing bonuses. (See an oxymoron anywhere?). Not true. Please see article on page 3. In case you didn’t know

it, in this last city council election, there was a 45% turnout of registered voters in Sierra Madre – a record. Th e mandate, or message was clear – pro development candidates out, responsible development candidates in. When the residents discovered that they had not elected three responsible development candidates, they started the initiative to protect all of us. Th ere is no need to distort the content of the intiative, is there?When your child tells

you a lie, you always ask why and that is the question to be asked here. Why is it necessary to lie? If you disagree with

the initiative, then state the facts and voice your opinion but don’t lie. If you think we are too

stupid to understand the development plan, which has been said, then say so and let everybody know how you really feel! If you don’t want the

residents to know what commitments have been made already, then just tell us not to ask questions. We can fi gure that out. If you think this town

should be run by a kitchen cabinet, then stand up and say so. You never know, if you

tell the truth, we all may just fall off the turnip truck and say okay.

WHY TELL THE TRUTH WHEN YOU

CAN LIE?

By Stefan Bund

truth (n): the body of real things, events, and factslie:(v) to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive


News is the primary vehicle by which most people in this country keep in touch with each other and the rest of the world. Delivery of the “news” with integrity and thoroughness is our mission.

Th e Mt. Wilson Observer was established for the specifi c purpose of delivering the news of our town in an objective, informative, consistent and honest manner. For far too long, we have been the political aft erthought of papers that are driven by advertisers or manipulated by power brokers. As a result, the majority of our 10,000 residents only received incomplete information about our city. To the publishers of this

newspaper, that is simply not acceptable. We are a viable community. We have untold

resources and talents within our city limits, and we face the same challenges and problems of other towns of similar demographics. It is of the utmost importance that the residents of Sierra Madre learn what is going on in this town, whether it be good or bad. We do not believe that the

media should be enablers of misdeeds by failing to report on them. Th ose who wish to suppress the news do a disservice to this community and put our town and its residents in a position to be taken advantage of.Shooting the messenger

seems to be a popular sport in town these days. Let’s take responsibility for our town and its future, for our children’s sake.

EDITORIALNews For You

HOUSING (continued from Page 3) with 165 in Irvine and 71 in all other cities. Controlling for the length of time each program has been in eff ect, the average jurisdiction with inclusionary zoning produces only 34 units each year since adoption of its inclusionary zoning requirement.” Th ere is also the issue of each

cities share of the ‘housing element’ which is designated based upon the entire regions housing needs. In a city like Sierra Madre, however, that fi gure is very, very low. It has been said that with the building of the Senior Housing, Sierra Madre has less than 2 additional units needed in order to meet their quota. Whether or not a city reaches that goal should not a matter of great concern. For, according to Attorney Chris Sutton of Pasadena, “Th e penalty is illusionary.” Th e California Department

of Housing and Community Development states, “Neither state law nor Department policy requires the adoption of any inclusionary ordinance in order to secure approval of a jurisdiction’s housing element.” Th us, cities that make such

changes do so at the will of the council, not at the demand of the law.

SIERRA MADRE POLICE BLOTTER

During the week of Sunday, October 29th, to Saturday November 4th, SMPD responded to approximately 159 calls for service.Sunday, October, 29th:12:28 AM - Fire Assist, residential

fi re, 600 Auburn Avenue. A resident called to report a structure fi re at his house. Sgt. Keith Abbott and Off . John Ellins were the fi rst to arrive within a minute of being dispatched. A fi re had engulfed the northwest deck of the house, threatening the entire structure. Aft er confi rming that the occupants had been evacuated, the two offi cers used their fi re extinguishers and garden hoses to control the fi re until arrival of the SMFD.

Tuesday, October, 31st:2:52 AM – Grand theft , 00 block

Esperanza Ave. A resident came to the police station to report mail fraud. Th e victim received a $2,962.00 check in his name and a letter informing him that he was a contest winner. Th e victim was to deposit the check in his checking account and wire it to a Canadian bank. Once that happened, he was to get his $50,000 cash prize. Th e victim was defrauded of all the money in his checking account and did not receive the $50,000.00 prize.Th ursday, November, 2nd:7:30 AM – Vandalism, 100 block

Esperanza Ave. A resident reported catsup and pickle relish smeared on entrance keypad and intercom. 10:42 AM – Attempted

commercial burglary, Coquette, 55 North Baldwin Ave. Th e business reported damage to the front door

of the store. Offi cers found a crack in the front door. Friday, November, 3rd:7:15 AM – Vandalism, 200 block

Rancho Rd. A resident called to report his car and Halloween decorations damaged. Th e resident reported hearing noises at around 12:15 AM, and discovered the damage. Th e loss was estimated at $620.00.Saturday, November, 4th10:55 PM – Vandalism, 99 West

Grandview Ave. A resident called to report graffi ti to his parked truck. Saturday between 8:00 PM.and 10:55 PM. Offi cers checked the area and found fi ve other vehicles with similar damage. Th e suspect(s) used a marker to write words on the vehicles and on city signs. Th ree vehicles additional vehicles were found damaged, but the owners could not be found.

7THE MT. WILSON OBSERVER | November 10 - November 16, 2006


Arte CulinarioWhat Sweet Dreams

Are Really Made Of

By Susan Henderson

When Ted Nakamura was a child growing up on Oahu, he never dreamed that his parents’ popular Sunset Beach Store on the North Shore would provide the opportunity for him to become famous. Especially for his pies. Today, nineteen years after opening Ted’s Cream Pies next to the original store, his business is known the world over and people literally fly thousands of miles with his pies on their minds. After completing one of Honolulu’s finest culinary arts schools Ted returned to the North Shore to help his parents and brothers with Sunset Beach. Business was booming. Soon they opened a bakery in the building next door, which soon became the home of Ted’s

Cream Pies. “The first big order I received was from a restaurant in Honolulu. Their baker had quit and the owner called in a panic asking if I could make him a few Coconut Macadamia Nut Cream Pies. That was no problem. Next thing I know, I received a call from a downtown office building that needed a half dozen pies for a party. When we filled that order we did something that had never been done on the island before, we started delivering our baked goods.” The rest is history. Today, the bakery produces anywhere from 800-1500 pies daily, depending on the time of year. With a staff of 35-40, the shop is still in the same location and operates 24 hours a day. The retail store is open to the public until 7:00 pm daily. Ted’s mother Eva, a busy, sprite 85 year old and his brother Glenn help him keep the

business going. Ted’s pies sell in a variety of flavors and delectable combinations such as Strawberry Guava Cream Pie, but the hands down favorite since its’ introduction in 1998 is Ted’s Chocolate Haupia Pie. Haupia is the product of fresh coconut meat ground to a pulp. The juice that results is the haupia or as commonly referred to as coconut ‘milk.’ Ted says, “Many people mistake the juice that you see when you break open a coconut as the milk, but that is just coconut water. The milk is what you get when your grind the fresh coconut flesh.” Next time you go to Oahu, make it a point to go to Ted’s Pies and taste these delicacies first hand. I guarantee you, there will be no disappointment. And, forget about the calories. You can deal with them later!

Grace’s Chocolate Haupia Pie(Almost As Good As Ted’s)

1 9-inch prepared pie crust 7 ounces Semi-sweet chocolate1-1/2 cups Heavy whipping cream1/4 cup SugarShaved chocolate, for garnish

Haupia Custard:14 oz. Fresh haupia or 1 can of coconut milk1 cup each Milk and sugar

1/2 cup ornstarch1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake crust until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Whisk coconut milk (haupia), milk & sugar together in a small saucepan. In a separate bowl, dissolve cornstarch in water. Bring coconut milk mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and whisk in cornstarch mixture until thickened.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler stirring constantly until melted completely. Pour half the haupia into a bowl. Mix remaining haupia with melted chocolate and pour over the bottom of the baked pie crust. Layer white haupia over the top. Cool pie at least 1 hour in refrigerator. Whip cream with 1/4 cup sugar until still peaks

form. Garnish pie with whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Chill another hour. Serves 6- 8

BIRD’S EYE VIEW By Pat Birdsall

Tangled Webs…I had someone coming

over to my house the other day. It was not a weeks-in-advance notice type of thing so I had to spiff the place up a bit, and in a hurry. I stuffed things in the obvious places: closets, drawers and the ever-burgeoning garage/ hobby-room. Hobby-room, what a joke. There is no room to work on hobbies because it’s crammed with “stuff.”Vacuuming went fast

because the vacuum cleaner is usually out. Not only is that convenient, but if someone does drop by, I can always say, “Oh, I was just getting ready to vacuum the place.”Dusting could wait; the

lighting in my place isn’t that good. The stove was another story. In my infinite wisdom, I purchased a black stove with stainless steel accents. Black??? What was I thinking? Well, no time to waste…Get the sponge and give the stovetop the once over. I started to move the burners when I noticed that a tiny little spider had made its web, in quite a lovely pattern I might add, using the burner corners as anchors. Well, I am quite the animal

lover, but how would this look? “She’s such a pig you know, she had a spider living in her stove!” Should I leave the little

arachnid alone in peace to carry out its instinct to survive and multiply? Oops…Splat, sorry little one… Ah, what tangled webs we weave…

Hey Houston, how

SPORTS8THE MT. WILSON OBSERVER | November 10 - November 16, 2006


View From The Couch

Our children no longer play; their recreation, if they have any, is organized sports. When we played “outside” we created our own games, invented our own rules, solved our own problems within the frame work of the invented game, and in general created a society in which all felt comfortable and had a voice. Today’s children don’t play games; they participate in organized, structured activities, which are often generally lacking in fun and spontaneity. But still, the idea behind teaching a child to play an organized sport is to teach playing by the rules, teamwork, and mutual respect. Is it? Recently, I was watching the news and saw a very disturbing piece. The coach, who happened to be the dad of one of the players, came onto the field of play to confront an official. The father’s problem with the official was that the official had grabbed his son. The reason given for grabbing the child was that he allegedly had committed

an egregious personal foul. The child said the other player started it. All were wrong, and the adults instead of using this situation as a teaching tool created a segment for the six o’clock news. The child and the rest of the world that saw the news story learned that the common solution to any problem is violence. Was this not the perfect time to teach restraint, respect and sportsmanship? Do you remember the thirteen year old who was being teased by an older kid for losing a baseball game? In that instance, the younger child’s solution was to hit the older kid with the bat. Now one child is dead and the other is in the California Youth Authority. Both children’s lives have come to a tragic end. Even if the thirteen year old is released from custody, his life will not be the same. True he is alive but he must live with the fact that he killed another human being and that carries a whole host of problems. Truly an American tragedy, growing out of what should have been children playing a ballgame having fun.

I am not suggesting that our children should not play organized sports, but at what price? Everyone knows that there is too much lying about age, manipulation of coaches, misinformation regarding residences and bad behavior among coaches and parents mainly in children’s organized sports. When this is done what have we taught our children about rules? Isn’t one of the lessons supposed to be that we play by the rules and that the rules are the same for everyone? You see the problem with organized sports is that winning becomes paramount, and otherwise honorable people become dishonest. Let’s let our children have fun. Let’s instill in them the saying that it is not if you win or lose but how you play the game. Let us let them play and let them learn that they will not always win.For all must learn, that in order to be a winner we need not win all the time. However we must always be honest and play by the rules.

Who’s Teaching Whom?

By Larry Bortstein

A perfect regular season is in the record books. But Pasadena High School’s girls’ volleyball team has a far loftier accomplishment in its sights. “We haven’t done anything yet,” coach Ronnie Joseph said after the Bulldogs went to 26-0 last Thursday with a 25-9, 25-19, 25-13 victory over Muir to complete an undefeated regular season. “We haven’t had a perfect season because the season isn’t over,” said the hard-driving coach. “The real season starts in the playoffs.” As the top seed, Pasadena High drew a bye into this week’s first round of the CIF Southern Section Division II-A playoffs. Joseph admitted this has been a historic season for the Bulldogs, but he doesn’t know how historic. “They haven’t kept good records on volleyball here over the years,” he said. “So I don’t know what the old teams did. But that doesn’t matter now anyway.” Pasadena was so dominant all year, including a 14-0 record in Pacific League competition, that the Bulldogs swept nearly all their matches in a minimum three games. “Only Arcadia gave us a test,” Joseph pointed out. The final regular-season match with Muir typified Pasadena’s status as a juggernaut. With the first game tied, 9-9, after three consecutive kills by the Mustangs, the Bulldogs ran off the next 16 points. Pasadena’s star is 6-foot-1 senior outside hitter Kimmee Roleder. She is as modest off the court as she is prolific on it. “People say this is a one-woman team, but my teammates always prove them wrong,” said Roleder, who had a team high 14 kills against Muir despite sitting out the second game. “This team has grown so much over the last year,

it’s amazing.” Bulldogs’ middle blocker Katie Merrill had sensational match against Muir, recording 12 kills and seven blocks. “Katie has been so huge this year,” Roleder said of her teammate. Roleder is hoping to take a CIF championship with her when she enrolls at USC next fall to join the Trojans’ powerhouse lineup.

Under coach Mick Haley, USC annually challenges for the NCAA title in women’s volleyball.But that’s next year. For now, Roleder and the other Bulldogs have one ambition in mind. “We think we can win CIF,” Roleder said. “That’s our goal. Coach has us so focused for the playoffs. That’s what we’ve worked foir all year, to win CIF.” That would be the kind of perfect ending coach Joseph would appreciate.

McPERFECT: Lady Bulldogs 26-0

Photos by Jacqueline Truong Lady Bulldogs Victory at Muir

PHS Girls Volleyball Team Heads To CIF

By Larry Bortstein

Kimberly Coates and Megan Weber

have been running around together

since they were three years old.

Now the twosome from Monrovia,

both tall and slender juniors at Alverno

High who grew up two blocks apart, are

the stars of the Jaguars’ cross-country

team that is closing in on the Horizon

League championship.

It took Kimberly a year to catch up

to Megan, who has been running at

Alverno since she was a freshman.

“She told me how much she liked

running and how it felt to her,” recalled

Kimberly. “I tried it last year and liked it.

I’d been a swimmer at a club in Monrovia

before that, but enjoy running more.”

Megan admitted she took up running

because “I didn’t have the coordination

to do anything with a ball. But I’m good

at this.”

With the CIF championships coming

up on Nov. 15 at Mt. San Antonio

College in Walnut, Kimberly and Megan

have been training

four days a week,

including three-hour

morning sessions on

Saturday, at Eaton

Park, their home

course, and around

the Rose Bowl.

“They push each

other to be better,”

said Ken Berry, in

his eighth year as

Alverno’s cross-

country coach. He

also coaches the

soccer team at the all-

girls school of some

325 registered students.

“They crossed the finish line together

in one race in 20 minutes and 43 seconds

for the three miles. Their goal is to break

20 minutes.”

Cross-country involves running on

hills and over unsteady terrain, unlike

track, which asks competitors to run

over a flat surface.

Soon, Kimberly and Megan will have

that opportunity at Alverno. Next spring,

for the first time, the school will field a

varsity track team. The Jaguars’ cross-

country stars are expected to compete

in the mile and two-mile races for the

squad, which Berry also will coach.

As is the case with cross-country,

Alverno will be a Horizon League

member in track, along with Holy

Family of Glendale, Sacred Heart of

Jesus of Los Angeles and San Gabriel

Mission.

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